Bradley’s Student Activities Office hopes to improve attendance for this year’s Family Weekend with a plethora of revamped activities.
New on the scene this year are the Farmer’s Market and Student Organization Bazaar, Cram the Coliseum, Dueling Pianos, a Pep Rally with Director of Athletics Chris Reynolds, Fraternity and Sorority Open Houses and the Sunday Family Weekend send-off.
According to Director of Student Activities Tom Coy, Family Weekend will be focused on hosting events on Bradley’s campus compared to hosting community events. Coy said last year’s attendees said they wanted more on-campus events, so they worked to accommodate that.
Student Activities plans Family Weekend in conjunction with student organizations, according to Coy. Both parties discuss the changes they wish to see made for the upcoming events.
“Changes are presented to the Student Advisory Committee for their feedback,” Coy said. “We always try to balance a variety of events that will appeal to a variety of different families. This year we are excited to add the Petting Zoo and Inflatables at Farmer’s Market, while also adding some slightly more adult events like Delta Tau Delta’s Dueling Pianos on Friday Night and the Tailgate-Barbecue and Pep Rally on Saturday.”
In addition to all the new events this year, some old favorites are making a return as well. Coy said the Haunted Peoria Bus Tour, which sold out last year, has already been sold out again. Other events such as the Fellows Pancake Breakfast, ACBU movie screening and comedy balloon artist John Cassidy are all returning for this year’s Family Weekend.
“We try to mix new and old events to provide a mix of opportunities for families who might have attended in the past,” Coy said.
Senior hospitality leadership major Abby Craft said the new activities seem exciting.
“I can’t even believe this is my last official family weekend,” Craft said “My parents and I look forward to it every year. Bradley has become my home so being able to share that with my family is the best. It’s a year full of lasts and it’s all very bittersweet.”
Many underclassmen have also registered with their parents for family weekend events. Freshman music business major Kelsey Chapman said she and her family are going to the Fellows Pancake Breakfast, the volleyball game and a concert at Dingledine.
“I’m really excited to get to show them all the things I’ve gotten to do since I got here,” Chapman said.
For more information and a full list of the Family Weekend schedule, students can visit www.bradley.edu/campuslife/sao/events/family.
